F 144 
.P5 P5 
Copy 1 






Old 

Church of 
St. George's 
in Penn's Neck 



^ 



Paper Read Before Salem County 
Historical Society, September 8th, 
190S, by Mrs. Augusta Austin Pettit 



J 



\ 



Old 

Church of 
St. George's 
in Penn's Neck 



^ 



Paper Read Before Salem County 
Historical Society, September 8th, 
1908, by Mrs. Augusta Austin Pettit 



Gift 






SUNBEAM 
PUBLISHING- COMPANY 




SAIiEM 
N J 



Old Church of St. George^s in Penn's Neck 



Pastor Isreal Acrelius in his liistory 
of New Sweden narrates that "it wa3 
near forty years after the building of 
the little Dutch fort Nassau, [now 
Gloucester, N. J.] before any one felt 
disposed to settle and establish his 
home there." It seems to have been 
regarded as "a wild land, where noth- 
ing could thrive." Tlie possibilities 
tliere of early tomato and sweet potato 
growing had evidently not been dream- 
ed of. Mat Matsson, tlie father-in-law 
of Pastor Rudman at Wicacoa, was the 
first to venture at Raccoon, now 
Swedesboro, N. J. Otliers soon follow- 
ed, and as the population increased 
there grew a desire for a church on 
their side of the Delaware river. They 
had grown very tired of having to 
cross over to Wicacoa — to which parisli 
their little settlement had hitlierto been 
considered as belonging — when m need 
of spiritual instruction and support. 

Under considerable opposition from 
the "other side" where they doubtless 
needed the aid of this little dissatisfied 
colony on the eastern sliore, the Rac- 
coon, or Narratican creek people in the 
year 1704 persevered in successfully 
building for themselves a church, un- 
der the leadership of a Mr. Tolstadius. 
who did not stand in the best of lights 
with the regular Swedish Lutheran 
Clergy of this country at that time. 
Poor man! He was drowned soon af- 
terward, and his story is one, of which 
the details are too long to be told here. 

The property on which this primitive 
cliurch was erected is the same plot on 
which the present fine old "Trinity," 
the Episcopal Church at Swedesboro 
now stands, erected between 1778 and 
17S6, during the pastorate of Dr. Nich- 



olas Collin. In this church are still 
preserved the Swedish records, which 
began in the year 1713 and during the 
charge of Mr. Abraham Lidenins. Like 
all such registers they are extremely 
interesting, especially so to those who 
may have Dutch or Swedish ancestry 
for these two nationalities predominat- 
ed; although the early Swedish church- 
es extended a welcome to the English 
who as the records show must have 
been glad to avail themselves of the 
opportunities thus afforded them for 
divine worship at a time when English 
churches were also few and far be- 
tween; and the Swedes were ever soli- 
citous of the spiritual welfare of the 
Indian. Mr. Campanins records an ap- 
peal to his most Gracious King Charles 
for the gift of a musical instrument — 
an organ — for the church at Philadel- 
phia, "because it might prove not only 
seductive to the Indians who will come 
long distances to hear sweet music, 
but also to the young of the Quaker 
congregations, whose form of religious 
worship is so bare of all attractions 
to tlie young." These may not be the 
exact words, but the meaning is iden- 
tical. 

To go back to the records: They are 
at first written in the Swedish langu- 
age, but in 1733 a request was granted 
to have them "made in tlie English 
tongue." The paper of the registry 
book contains the water-mark of me 
Swedish crown; and on the riglit hand 
pages are recorded the births, marriag- 
es and deaths of the Penn's Neck con- 
gregation and on the left are those 
of tlie Raccoon church. 

The proper names and the dates 
readily translate themselves, but the 



explanatory headings, are as Greek to 
the lay-student, and 'tis only by the 
reg-istry of a birth and baptism being 
followed by two or three names — those 
of the sponsors — that it can be distin- 
guished from that of a death. 

Mr. Acrelius seems to have become 
well acquainted with the district be- 
tween these two parishes which covers 
a distance of about fifteen miles. His 
description is not over-enthusiastic, 
for he states that "the land of Penn's 
Neck lies low, and consists in great 
part of moors and marshes; that it has 
good soil in the lower part, but is 
quite sandj^ and poor in tlie upper. It 
is as yet little cleared or inhabited; 
[1750-60] the air being unhealthy and 
producing cliills and fevers. Good 
springs are rarely found and the people 
generally have a pale and sickly ap- 
pearance." 

These good but "sickly" people of 
Penn's Neck, had mostly come over to 
the "eastern shoare" from the west side 
of the South river, or from wiiat was 
early known as New Sweden, now Del- 
aware and southeastern Pennsylvania. 
For many years after the coming of 
Fenwick's colony in New Jersey, they 
were considered yet "tydable" or tax- 
able by the Dutch government over at 
New Amstel, (New Castle after the 
English possession) and previous to 
1714 were included in Holy Trinity or 
Old Swede's parish at Christianaham, 
(afterward Willing's Town, now Wil- 
mington, Del.) 

They too, like the neighboring con- 
gregation at Raccoon, found it ofttimes 
impossible and always arduous to cross 
the wide river to attend church; and 
not less so for them to go by the long 
sandy and wilderness road to the first 
founded Swedish Luthern Church at 
Raccoon creek. So they now began to 
think of erecting a church of their 
own, near this settlement. Unlike the 
congregation at Swedesboro these 



Penn's Neck people, could proceed in 
the regular way, for they had the sup- 
port and encouragement of that ami- 
ble countenanced (portrait at Old 
Swedes, Wil.) and most popular of 
pastors the Provost Bjork who procured 
permission from the Bishop of Skara 
Sweden, dated November 24, 1714, for 
the erection of such a building for such 
a purpose; and with the assurance that 
tlie Trinity congregation on the west- 
ern shore would aid, as the eastern 
shore people had aided them to build 
their church in 1689 — "according to 
tlieir ability." 

This first Penn's Neck Swedish Luth- 
eran Church, was begun immediately, 
but although of logs and only twentj^- 
four feet square, it was not completed 
until 1717, when according to the much 
quoted authority Acrelius, on March 
31st it was consecrated and called St. 
Georges. Whether the influence of the 
English, who had by this time become 
quite populous in the neigliborhood, 
contributed to the choice of name, we 
have not been able to ascertain but it 
seems quite probable that it did. 

Jean or .John Jaquett is said to have 
been of French Huguenot extraction, 
and it is claimed that he was a de- 
scendant of Vice-governor Jean Paul 
Jaquett, who held that office for one 
year, at New Amstel, under the Dutch. 
Whoever, and however, it is recorded at 
Swedesborough in the old church book 
that the former, made grant of two 
acres of land on which to build the 
Penn's Neck Church, and for a burial 
ground and it "adjoins the land of 
Jonas Slogan." The deed is dated Jan- 
uary 8, 1714-15; the witnesses are 
Abraham Lindenius, (pastor at Rac- 
coon) Henrie Janes, and Nicholas 
Moore. 

The early pew holders were: Jacob 
Vondevair, Henry Peterson, Lucas 
Peterson, i^ara Peterson, Andrew Peter- 
son, Bertha Peterson, Cornelius Cor- 



neiiusson, Olof V. Neman, Simon Eas- 
ton, Jacob Hendrickson, Hans Shei'ein, 
Jean V. Neman, Jean Minek, Eric 
Franssom, Martl:ia Guilliamson, Jonas 
biog-an, Wm. Mecum, Jacob Savoy, 
Henrie Geens, Sennick Seneckson, Joh 
Sliagen, Jolian Savoj', Henrie V. Neman, 
Thos. Wigg-ory, David Savoy, Jolm Se- 
neckson, Tim Darnley, Jacob Danielson, 
Andrew Peterson, Andrew Boone, Peter 
Boone, John Jaquett, Olof Stalilkopp, 
Sarah Sineck, Jolm Philpot, Anica 
Fransson, Anneca Sineck, Helena 
Boone and Fransenky Boone. This is 
the first list found. 

The Bishop also appointed Mr. Lin- 
denius pastor of the two parishes — 
the Raccoon and the Penn's Neck, over 
which he continued to preside until 
the year 1724. He was succeeded for 
a year by Rev, Samuel Hessellins whose 
brother Gustavus Hessellins came to 
this country with him in 1711, and is 
claimed to be the earliest "painter of 
faces" or portrait painter in America. 

This earliest Register at Swedesboro 
was begun and faithfully kept by Li- 
denius during his pastorate and neatly 
too, do they appear today. This same 
book is continued by the successive 
ministers until 1786. In it, and the two 
at Salem (which were irregularly kept) 
are to be found much of the details of 
purchase of church properties and of 
the rebuilding and the repairs of the 
churches; in the itemized accounts, it 
is somewhat startling to see "for rum 
for the workmen" fearlessly set down. 

Not until 1750 is there any extant 
records of Penn's Neck that were kept 
there. At this date it was decided that 
"a regular account of membership be- 
ing very useful, the following is be- 
gun." These books (and in fact the 
churches) are now under the care of 
the Rector of St. John's Protestant 
Episcopal Church at Salem, N. J. and 
in the custody of Thomas .Jaquett. 

In seeming atonement for past neg- 



lect when the birth and baptism of a 
child is registered, very often the an- 
cestry is carried back as far as possi- 
ble, with the additional information, 
whether of Swedish, Dutch, English or 
Finnish parentage. 

In 1755 this explanation is set forth: 
"The Penn's Neck church being so far 
from Swedesboro the minister could 
not attend all the funerals, and no care- 
ful person to record them was at hand. 
Therefore it was left to place the most 
important in the register at Swedes- 
borough church." 

One of those early Swedish Divines 
after having registered one by the 
name of "Holston" volunteers this re- 
mark, viz: "N. B. The proper Swedish 
name is Hollsten, but some call it 
Holston, others Holson as the Englisli 
maim all all foreign names, and many 
here cannot write their own." 

Mr. Acrelius also tells us that it took 
eiglit years for the two congregations 
to agree as to the location of a suit- 
able "Glebe Farm" or parsonage. It 
was finally decided tliat Goran (Joran) 
Kyn's plantation would be convenient 
to both parishes. It is recorded to have 
consisted of 117 acres and to have cost 
£145 on March 21, 1720. This property 
near Woodstown is now owned by John 
Quirk, and the "Old Manse" is still 
habitable. In the stronger and vellum- 
covered book of the two Penn's Neck, 
on its Swedish-crown water-marked 
pages, the sale of this midway home of 
the pastors is chronicled, viz: "1795, 
March 24. The plantation in Piles- 
grove known by the name of Parsonage 
Farm was exposed to publick sale and 
the same was crj'-ed off to Edward Hall, 
he being the highest bidder for the 
sum of £1600 which half sum belongs 
to the church of Lower Neck." 

The Lower Neck Church ofttimes suf- 
fered vacancies, and the Swedesboro 
too; but as stated before, the records 
were quite faithfully kept when possi- 



ble; however during the incumbency of 
the Rev. John Wicksell such lamenta- 
tions as tliese occur: 1768 February 
26, Francis Miles died of a decay, or 
consumption 41 years old. Manj^ more 
died and were buried (at Penn's Neck) 
but they did not apply to me for to at- 
tend, as is the bad custom of this con- 
gregation." Francis Miles was buried 
in the Old Presbyterian yard at Penns- 
ville and not at St. George's. As are 
some others bearing the names of the 
earliest pew holders. 

At another date following same en- 
try is. "N. B. If ever there be any 
observed faults in any of these my rec- 
ords it is not my neglect or any my 
own. But entirely the neglect and ig- 
norance belonging to some of my hear- 
ers, who are not inindful of themselves, 
or of any good order, or any other good 
tning belonging to their salvation." 

In another place ne reitterates his 
complaint: "Many more were buried 
here in Penn's Neck without my knowl- 
edge, as is customary among them for 
many years back. Lord! Enlighten 
and strengthen better the coming gen- 
erations!" 

Doubtless the cause of this seeming 
waywardness in Mr. Wicksell's Penn's 
Neck parishioners was from force of 
existing circumtance — no daily mallrf: 
no phones, no steam cars, but very bad 
roads; and there was probably a Pres- 
byterian minister closer at hand, where 
a church of tliat demonination was es- 
tablished at Pennsville by 1748 and 
perliaps considerable earlier; besides 
there were no appliances at hand, 
whereby the interment of their dead 
might be delayed. All of these condi- 
tions tended to lend an appearance of 
neglect of duties toward their own 
minister at Haccoon, or Swedesborough. 
Several names of early pew-holders 
(surnames )are noticeable in the old 
Presbyterian yard, and Acrelius states 
that a certain man of note was buried 



in that ground, many years before, "for 
lack of a better place." 

From the founding of the Sweedish 
colonies on the Delaware (which by the 
way was not tlien called by that name 
but the South river, just as the Hudson 
was called the North) to the removal 
of the Rev. Dr. Collin to Philadelphia 
in 1786, these people of Swedesborough 
and Penn's Neck Lutheran Ciiurches 
had been supplied with native minis- 
ters by the munificence of Queen Chris- 
tiana and her Royal Successors; the 
latter without any hope of remunera- 
tion, other than that love and interest, 
which these northern countrymen seem 
to have borne one anotlier as a nation. 

Of course the congregations here 
were expected to contribute toward the 
worldly comfort of their pastors, and 
they no doubt did — according to their 
circumstances. 

Mr. Collin (pronounced as if spelled 
"Colleen") has left written in the Ny 
Kyrkio Bok (New Cliurch Book) a 
rather pitiful account of the temporal 
existence of these two churches and 
their pastors, especially during the 
period of the Revolution, during a part 
of which time he served them. 

About 1748-50 Peter Kalm, the Swed- 
ish botanist located himself at Swedes- 
borough, and as the regular pastor had 
recently died, he was qualified to hold 
religious services in these two churches. 
It would be most interesting to know, 
'f it were he, who pressed the blossoms 
of the blood-root between the pages 
of the old church-book of Penn's Neck, 
wliere the stains indellibly remain. One 
of our handsomest shrubs bears h\'^ 
name — the Kalmia or Mountain laurel. 

As early as 1744 the English coloni«;ts 
had engaged to hold service of the 
Franssom, Tehan Berthillyson, Martha 
Church of England at St. George's once 
a month: and finally after the removal 
of Dr. Collin to Philadelphia (1789) 
these two Swedish 'Lutheran Churches 



were wholly transferred to that of the 
Protestant Episcopal fold, by the Rev. 
John Wade, and the first vestry was 
then chosen. 

Many have asked how this change 
of faith came about. Mr. Julius Sachse 
in his memorial, on The First Ordina- 
tion in America, states that Dr. Collin 
restrained the movement as long as 
possible, that the change was gradual 
and one of successive steps, in which 
the language question was the chief 
factor — the decay of the Swedish and 
the universal adoption of the English 
tongue. For lack of Liturgical book in 
the Swedish language the Book of 
Common Prayer in English had long 
been resorted to, even by Pastor Col- 
lin. 

The log church in 1808 was replaced 
by one of bricKs and this in course of 
time and but quite recently (1880) was 
remodelled into the present attractive 
little memorial windowed church at 
Church Landing, about one mile above 



Pennsville on the river. It is said that 
this landing received its name from 
the fact that it was where the early 
inhabitants congregated to take the 
boats for Old Swedes across the river 
on a Sundays of ye olden time, and 
landed here on their return from 
church. 

In the old churchyard lie those who 
may not have exactly blazed a trail, 
but rather made dykes and ditches to 
drain the land, and embankments to 
restrain the tides. The old stones bear 
the names of many prominent families 
not only in the history of the township 
but names that now may be found in 
every State of the Union, where their 
descendants have carried them. Some 
few, however, have become extinct. 
Such names as Carney, Helms, Jeans, 
Rose, Bettle, Mardin and Philpot, are 
no longer familiar ones here in Salem 
county. 

M. AUGUSTA PETTIT. 
September Sth, 1908. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



003 357 733 3 m 



